Boundaries
by SleepingSeeker
Summary: A request to act as mediators regarding a land dispute on Tyr between a mining colony of Elcor and a terraforming human colony has Garrus and Shepard taking a detour from a much needed vacation. The simple situation seems easy enough to resolve, however, it soon becomes apparent that there are insidious plans at work. Gift for Zendelai for the 2014 ME Holiday Gift Exchange.


**Boundaries**

* * *

><p>Garrus sat back in his chair. His eyes scanned the detailed report he'd prepared. He could not shake the feeling of dissatisfaction that sat in the pit of his stomach. His jaw worked and the adjoining mandibles quivered with irritation and lingering, though diluted, fury. His gaze turned inward.<p>

Nothing was resolved on Tyr. Not really. If it were up to him, they'd be taking the Chennai, the cruiser they were aboard, straight back into the heart of that colony and finish things the way they were meant to be done. He shifted in his seat, debating with himself, talons gripping the armrests where he sat. If he slipped away while Shepard was still resting . . .

The sound of metal clattering against metal had him spinning around in his seat. He jumped up; all thoughts of covert justice dealing evaporated from his mind.

"Shepard!"

From behind the front end of the landing shuttle, Shepard peeped. She straightened up. A look of defiance already smoothing away the initial sheepish expression.

Garrus approached across the cramped space between the communications terminal and the shuttle. The toe of his boot kicked into a socket wrench. He followed the spinning tool as it knocked into several others to the source of the initial clatter. An overturned toolbox. His face snapped up.

"You are not supposed to be out of bed."

He eyed her as he moved around the front of the vehicle to see where she'd taken a panel off to expose part of the interior. A tangled mass of wires hung above several smaller components.

"How long have you been at this?" he asked incredulously and glanced around, wondering how he hadn't heard her. Chagrinned at the notion that he'd been so engrossed in going over what he considered a failed mission that he hadn't even sensed her presence or heard her working.

She shrugged. "A while," was her noncommittal response. At the expression on his face, Shepard crossed her arms and tipped her head to knock a strand of hair from her eyes; saying firmly, "I'm fine."

His eyes roved over the still too-pale coloring of her gaunt face; the dark circles under her eyes. She was anything but fine and it was only her stubborn nature at play here. His heart pinched and he huffed in exasperation. Guilt stabbed at him for even considering leaving her to satisfy his feeble need for rectitude. What kind of partner was he? The guilt quickly morphed into a more comfortable slow burn of anger.

"I wish we never intercepted or accepted Consul General Nerrenkgard's call for assistance," he grumbled.

"We were crossing through – a land dispute - it was supposed to be simple," she said and leaned towards the vehicle for balance, playing it off causal. As if he didn't see the way she'd just wavered where she stood.

Garrus closed the distance between them. She kept her eyes on the shuttle's wires that she'd just been working on, not looking at him. He could not judge what she wanted without looking into her eyes; reading facial clues. But it didn't matter.

He knew what she needed.

He reached out and took her lightly by the elbow. There came the initial stiffening of her body whenever he or anyone else got too close, but he was used to it, and glad for the second later when she relaxed into his hand. She was getting better at this. And he continued to learn her boundaries.

In a low voice he murmured, "When is it ever simple for us?"

# # #

_24 hours earlier_

"But you're unwell," he pointed out as she navigated the cruiser into the outer atmosphere of Tyr, willing to say it again, to irk her and push her buttons because he also needed to show he cared for her. The atmosphere on Tyr wasn't the most comfortable. Having internal pressure and inflammation from a cold would only make it that much worse to deal with; he didn't want to see her made any more uncomfortable than she already was. And just as he already guessed, she rolled one shoulder up in a slack shrug.

"Garrus," she said and the aggravated sigh in his name made him feel guilty for hammering home the obvious: that right now she was ill and thus, weak. He hadn't meant it that way. But it came across nonetheless, he was sure. "It's a head cold. I'm fine."

His mandibles fluttered with irritation. He would not push for her to remain at the atmospherically controlled terraforming base. He'd tried and she refused to see reason. Pride getting in the way as it usually did for her. Too much to prove. He glanced in her direction, noting the tense way she held her shoulders as she maneuvered their ship; wishing that she would learn that she didn't need to do that around him: prove her worth.

"Besides, it'll be quick. Elcors don't screw around. The land dispute will be settled and we can continue on our way to our little vacation," she said, and he knew she was attempting to diffuse the tension between them.

"Whatever you say," he said under his breath and couldn't help but feel a bit like a petulant child for not simply jumping at the chance to smooth things over between them. She was not the only one with pride.

They cut through billowing clouds towards a surface made up of mostly mountainous terrain. Empty and rocky. Uninhabitable for the most part. But as they grew closer, the terraforming efforts became clearer. The scientists and settlers had resurfaced an expansive swath of land that appeared green and lush, even from this distance. A large lake glittered at the center of the spiraling artificial landscape. Shepard made an appreciative noise in the back of her throat as it came into view.

The bubble containing the balanced atmosphere loomed, gleaming in a hazy translucent blue sheen. As they grew closer, an indentation formed and dipped inwards. The ship jumped and gave a tiny lurch that had Garrus shooting a look in her direction which she met before quickly turning her attention back to navigating the ship. Her expression told him not to joke about her flying, so he kept his mandibles pinched tight. Still, his eyes twinkled and the ghost of a smile that played along her mouth was worth it. Any tension from before dissolved. The bubble formed an airtight seal, affixing to every crevice and curve of the outside of their cruiser as it continued to breach into the artificial airspace; shrink-wrapping the ship. Once it closed in behind, the front split and allowed the rest of the ship to pass into the protected air space. Behind them, the membrane self-healed, showing no sign of damage or penetration.

As they landed, they were greeted by a group of passive looking humans. Benign and harmless in the gauzy robes. The terra-formers were a generally peaceful group. Intent upon creating living spaces on planets that were too inhospitable to naturally sustain life. That they were having trouble with the Elcor mining colony just north of their designated region was even more surprising; the Elcor were another generally peaceful group.

Garrus eyed the grounds as Shepard was greeted by the colony's leader, Meritt Bosner, a doe-eyed, weak-chinned scientist who retired to become the colony's head of planning and development; which meant he also governed the colony in general. He had an air of aristocratic breeding which Garrus recognized and became keenly attentive to any outward signs of arrogance and/or superiority which usually accompanied such an attitude. But the man was only gracious and deferring, offering his gratitude and thanks for their involvement in the land dispute many times over.

They were escorted to the central building, situated just along the enormous lake; topped with dome-shaped spires. The building housed the colony's general gathering space and all local elected officials met within the walls to pass legislation. This terraforming colony was unlike any that Garrus had ever seen before. The success, the wealth, was rather astonishing.

Inside, comfortably seated in a lush padded chair, Garrus listened to Merritt Bosner's presentation of the issues at hand. A woman with slicked back, dark hair stood rigidly and silently just behind his chair.

"The mining company, Zerinx, has cut off all contact with us at present," Meritt explained. "We contacted the Earth Consulate for assistance in bringing in a neutral mediator when the Elcor leader stopped being reasonable. We don't want trouble with the Elcor. We simply want what is ours by rights."

Shepard coughed into a loose fist. Garrus moved forward in his chair but she held up a hand, indicating that she was fine. She cleared her throat, "I don't understand how this even happened. I would have thought all land borders would have been agreed upon before this settlement began."

Merritt nodded at Shepard. "There were conditions."

Garrus turned to look at him. "You mean if the site was successful, the borders would be renegotiated."

Merritt smiled at him. "It had been that way up until just recently. The Elcor-runned company, Zerinx, had discovered a particularly rich deposit along our western and northern borders. Which coincidently occurred just as a new expansion and experimentation for that area was being planned."

Garrus settled back in his seat, listening intently. Pondering the situation. Wishing that Shepard had just let him handle this. The situation was simple enough. She could be sleeping on the ship as he sat here.

"Can't they mine what they need and then you move in? Since it's just in the planning stage," Shepard offered, wiping her nose on a tissue which she folded and placed back into a pocket.

Merritt gave her that same simpering smile that was starting to irritate Garrus. He'd taken an instant dislike to the man and he wasn't sure why.

"No. For one thing, the amount they plan to extract will keep them there for years. Elcors stubbornly stay put until they mine every last particle. Nothing can move them out. It takes a great deal to persuade an Elcor mining operation to stop once they've started." He paused and fingered the side of his mouth with the tip of his ring finger. "And there is the manner in which they leave the environment once complete. Simply put, Commander Shepard, they destroy the landscape to a point which makes terraforming operations near impossible."

Shepard glanced at Garrus. "So, you need us to operate as mediators to seek out the Elcor leader and what? Negotiate terms of land ownership?"

"Not negotiate," the woman standing next to Merritt spoke in a clipped tone. Her voice grating and harsh.

Shepard frowned at her.

"Reinforce the law. The land is ours by first rights as stipulated in the original land contract when we arrived, fifteen years before. The Elcors are intruding upon land that is not theirs. We want you to inform them that the mining operation is to be shut down. Immediately."

Shepard blinked at that. "I see. And this expansion . . . why can't it be along your southern border?"

"That won't work for what we are planning," the woman said and again her tone was sharp and clipped; brokering no argument.

"We need them cleared out as soon as possible." Merritt folded his hands and rested his chin lightly upon the entwined fingers. "We plan on beginning our operations within the next forty-eight hours or so."

"That soon?" Shepard asked, her brow furrowing deeply.

"The science is delicate. Expediency is required."

Garrus stood up. "I understand that the Elcors are inhabiting the area, not only working the mines. They have families. Homes. They'll need time to relocate. If we can convince them to go."

"I'm sure they'll be willing to hear you out," the woman said as she crossed her arms and moved to stare out the window overlooking the gleaming blue of the lake. "There is a shipment of supplies, food, water, going out this afternoon that we've cleared. You can get to the mining settlement with them."

"You provide the Elcors with food?" Shepard asked and shot a look to an equally quizzical Garrus.

The woman turned. "Yes. Generously so. As par the initial contract. We would supply the miners and their families food and water as a symbol of what we, here, and elsewhere stand for: 'A community of all. For all.' That is our purpose, Commander Shepard. That is why we do what we do. For the benefit of _all_. You see? This is why we need this land free to work upon. That is why we cannot wait. You know the Elcors, stubborn and slow-acting. Our science moves too quickly for them."

Garrus glared at her and couldn't decide whom he liked less, Bosner or her.

"We don't have to travel with the supply shipment. We can go on our own using the landing shuttle off the Chennai."

Merritt stood up. "I'm afraid that that will be impossible. You see, due to our," he cleared his throat, "ongoing issues between the camps, there have been some unfortunate instances."

"What?" Shepard asked angrily.

Merritt shrugged. "It's unfortunate. But it happened. They claim that we hurt several of their people during an expedition. Which is completely untrue." He laughed and it was off-putting, slimy and burbling. Garrus withheld the urge to grab the man by his robe and shake him. "We're scientists here," he chuckled through the words. "Peaceful. It was an accident and the situation is currently being reviewed under careful scrutiny by our people near Asgard and the Elcor Consulate."

"The point is, if you wish to speak to the leader, the only way in to the camp is through our generous offering of supplies which the Elcor are always most eagerly accepting of," the woman said with a sneer.

Garrus had enough. "Fine." He rose as Shepard did. "Let's go."

They swept from the room and marched down the long corridor. Shepard gave Garrus a sidelong glance.

"Bad business."

Garrus made a soft sound in the back of his throat. "Takes a lot to anger an Elcor. Let's just hope they give us a chance to speak to the leader. The sooner this is settled the better for everyone involved."

# # #

The caravan was made up of two small vehicles, loaded with food and water produced within the bubble. Garrus and Shepard were given their own vehicle to follow in, smaller than the other trucks, but with oversized tires and a strong body to withstand the current weather conditions raging just outside the comfort and protection of the bubble. A young man waved them forward and they exited through a tunnel towards on the northern-most point of the compound. As soon as they left the moderated artificial atmosphere of the terraforming camp, Shepard began to cough.

"You sure you wouldn't rather just wait this out in the Chennai?"

She glared at him. He shifted in his seat. The jeep-like vehicle bounced over the rocky terrain and after a moment, Shepard reached between her legs and produced a pack. She dug around and pulled out a package of something edible. She unwrapped the film and started to nibble on it, offering Garrus some.

He shook his head, eyeing the food warily. "What's it like?"

She shrugged and wrinkled her nose. "Sort of salty and fishy. Also, there's a weird gluey taste. Kinda like an aftertaste." She nibbled some more.

"Hungry?" Garrus teased.

"I didn't eat this morning. I had no appetite," she amended defensively with widening eyes at the soft sound of disapproval coming from her Turian vehicle mate. "But since we got here, I've been starved enough to eat this …whatever it is." She gave him a half-shrug. "Good enough for the Elcors, good enough for me." She bit off a larger chunk and worked it thoroughly between her cheek and molars.

A gust of wind knocked the vehicle slightly off-course. Garrus grumbled and turned the steering wheel. The ground rose up in a steady incline and he swore, rumbling subharmonics following the huffed words. The vehicle lurched and bounced. Seeming to struggle.

"What's wrong?" Shepard asked flatly.

"This vehicle just doesn't handle well. And I think –" Before he could finish, the engine made a series of clanging, grinding noises as it sputtered and slowed. They lurched as it came to a violent stop. Garrus sat back and growled. "Human engineering," he mumbled.

"Excuse me," Shepard said around another mouthful of the food. She twisted and reached behind her seat. "There's a kit back here. They must anticipate engine trouble."

"With this atmosphere and volatile weather, it's no wonder," Garrus replied as Shepard brought up the metal box. He reached for it, but she shook her head.

"Engines are my thing, remember?"

He sputtered, "But you're already sick! There's no reason for you to go out in this!"

She pulled a mask from under the seat and threw it over her head, adjusting the breathing apparatus. He couldn't see her mouth, but he knew she'd given him an impish grin as she bolted from the passenger-side door out into the storm. A moment later, the hood of the vehicle rose with a shriek.

Garrus gave her a count of ten before he jumped from the driver's seat. "Shepard, let's just hitch a ride with the group," he called over the sound of the rushing wind and the pelting droplets of stinging rain.

He glanced ahead where the caravan had paused, waiting for them. He turned back to find Shepard gone. He spun in a quick circle, peered inside to see that she was not there. With quick strides, he moved around the front of the vehicle. She was there, on the ground.

In an instant, he fell to her side; gathering her up in his arms after checking her vitals, and yanked open the passenger-side door. He placed her on the seat, shut the door against the wind, and dashed around to climb in. Gently, he removed the mask to find her face glistening with sweat. She blinked and looked around; confused.

"What happened?" she asked blearily.

"The pressure, I think, coupled with your illness. You collapsed out there."

Shepard raised a hand to her forehead where her hair clung in limp strands. "Ugh, I feel like crap right now."

Garrus dug around the pack at her feet, stretching to reach it. He pulled out a bottle of water, uncapped it and tipped it to her lips. She sipped and grimaced.

"Better?" he asked hopefully.

She shook her head. "No. Dizzy. I think I need to just . . . sit a minute."

A knock at the window had Garrus jumping in his seat. He opened the door a crack. The man from the front of the caravan was there. "Are we good?" he asked, voice muffled from his mask. "We can't wait. The sand and grit gets into the engines. Was supposed to be a quick drop."

Garrus twisted around. He stared at her, considering as she panted and seemed to grow only worse. "Listen, I'm going to go ahead and get this settled with the Elcors. I think it would be best for you to wait here."

Shepard nodded, then suddenly lurched forward. She pushed open the door to vomit into the swirling dirt and rain outside the vehicle.

"Hey, is she sick?"

Garrus turned around. "It's a head cold. Exasperated by the atmospheric conditions. She'll be fine." He said the last words automatically, despite feeling the frantic edge of worry creeping up the back of his thoughts. Movement caught his eye.

Shepard had slumped back into her seat. She looked pale and suddenly gaunt, panting lightly. She moaned as she wiped at her bottom lip. And that's when Garrus caught sight of the rash on her hand and wrist. He bolted forward, gently but firmly taking her arm in his hand. He turned in over in his grasp and glanced up, his breath catching in his throat as the same dots speckled her throat and cheek.

"I'm taking her back."

"Wait, I don't think that's a good idea."

Garrus turned around, "Why is that?" he snapped, his patience long gone.

He pointed at her face, clearly seeing the rash that colored her flesh in garish purplish blots. "They won't allow her back inside the bubble. Contagion fears."

Garrus' jaw worked, mandibles quivering. "We'll see about that," he growled and moved to slam the door closed when the man held it; keeping it from moving.

"There's been an outbreak through the mining colony. That's why the shipments of supplies have been less frequent. Fear of contamination. We weren't even supposed to have a shipment to drop, but then Merritt's order came down to escort you. Still, it was just going to drop and run. Basically."

"I'm taking her back," he repeated, eyes flashing.

The man stepped back a half-step, then huffed inside his breathing mask. The rain intensified, pelting his shoulders with a punishing staccato sound. "Listen, the Elcor colony has a healer. I've heard she's been treating the outbreak with an herbal mixture that she developed. Though, it's sort of bleak, from what we've heard."

Garrus contemplated for a moment.

"But we're closer to the encampment than our human colony." He turned and pointed in the downpour, Garrus could just make out the other vehicles. "Right over that ridge. Why risk traveling back when they won't allow you in? You can bring her to the Elcors and get her a treatment. They won't have much to do with us, since the incident with the expedition a few weeks ago, but you're clearly not part of our terraforming community. I'm sure they'll help you."

Shepard moaned and tried to sit up. "'M fine. Let's go," she mumbled. But her head swayed to one side until it hit the window with a soft thud.

"No," Garrus decided. "I'll go."

"We have a job to do," she said as she straightened in her seat, eyeing him with a determined look that was much more herself. Her face was glistening with sweat. Tendrils of hair stuck to her temples and cheeks. Garrus reached out and slid a lock from the corner of her eye to the side of her head, gently.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of that, as well." She looked as though she were about to argue with him. "Trust me, Shepard. Please. Let me do this."

She seemed to relent a little and eased back in her seat. He wasted no time, then. Setting her up with plenty of water. The men climbed into the front vehicles as Garrus checked that Shepard was comfortable, as much as possible.

He murmured to her as she stared at him with bleary eyes, "I'll be back soon. I'll fix this." He leaned in and placed a feather-light kiss upon her warm forehead, needing the extra contact. Usually, she'd be furious with him at the public display, though he doubted that anything could be seen through this downpour, and she was too ill to take offense at his bold action. He shifted back.

"I'll fix this," he repeated and she gave him a short nod.

# # #

The Elcor mining encampment loomed on a gaping ridge, criss-crossed by trestles and an elaborate ladder system for coming into and out of the depths of the craggy mines. The dwellings were squat and mounded, huddled in tight formations. There was a barbed-wire fence which enclosed most of the area and a gate where two soldiers stood beneath the shabby cover, taking limited refuge from the storm.

Garrus leaned forward in his seat. He peered out the windshield. The storm was easing back, pelting the vehicles with sporadic bursts of rain. He got out as their truck slowed to a stop. The Elcor guards eyed him. Behind, he heard the door open and the man, named Henricks, he'd learned, got out. The guards stiffened.

"Just dropping supplies," Henricks called out through his mask with his palms extended in a placating gesture as the men in the other vehicle started to unload the crates of goods.

"Distrustful," one of the guards began, "Elcor leader, Sumott, does not wish to receive goods from traitorous humans."

"Want them or not, we're leaving them."

Henricks called to the men to unload their emergency bike from the back of the last truck. The front had a large domed partial cover to protect the rider from the elements and two deeply grooved tires. Henricks turned to Garrus, his eyes shooting over his shoulder to the Elcor guards. "Good luck, we'll leave you with our cycle to get back to Commander Shepard. It's fully charged and works well with the terrain."

Garrus gave him a nod and watched Henricks and the others load up and pull out. He turned to the Elcor guards. "I'm not of the terraforming colony. But I am here as acting mediator, sent by the Earth Consulate to settle land claims between your leader and the scientists."

"Amused and irritated," the Elcor on the right started, "there is no land dispute. We, Elcor, have been here, mining this land long before humans came to experiment with terraforming."

"I'm not going to argue with you. That is not why I'm here. I need to see Sumott. And," he said, a bit more urgently as they stood, unmoving, "I need to see your healer. My friend, I think she may have somehow contracted the sickness, the uh, the illness that's been affecting your people. Will you help me?"

"Grudgingly accepting," the Elcor said and its partner nodded to him. "This illness is a terrible thing. No one should suffer it. You may enter. Sumott is there," he lifted one large arm, heavily laden with muscles and pointed to an unassuming looking hut. "Healer will be with you momentarily. She may help."

Garrus thanked the Elcor and hastily made his way through the encampment, noting that there were no other Elcors to be seen and chalked it up to the waning storm. He knocked and entered at the grunted summons from within the building; ducking as he entered.

"Sumott?"

An elderly Elcor raised his head from where he bent over several large scrolls. Illustrations of the terrain as well as calculations covered the paper. A young male stood at his side, blinking in the incandescent light. He seemed pale and Garrus couldn't be sure, but he thought he noticed the same rash that Shepard had, upon the child's face and neck.

He gave a stiff bow and introduced himself. Then, "I'm here as a mediator. About the Terraformers."

"Unsurprisingly," Sumott started, "they send more trouble. I am aware of what this is about. Petty grievances. We never agreed upon permanent boundaries. It is a matter of flux. Of give and take. They agreed, we agreed. They need land to grow upon. We need land to search beneath."

The child moved to one side and picked up a plate. From the corner of his eye, Garrus watched him nibbling on the square of food. He turned his attention back to Sumott. "There has to be a way to work this out peaceably. The humans do not wish for strife between the colonies. As I'm sure you do not as well."

"Agreeably," Sumott said, "we wish for no bad blood between the colonies. I wait for Elcor Consulate to come to terms with Earth Consulate over this dispute. I cannot give authorization to halt or continue. We wait."

Garrus groaned internally. The Elcor were not known for swift decision making. "But you do not intend to mine while you await word from the Consulate? Can I have you assurances on that?"

The Elcor nodded once, deep and slow. "Saddened, we do nothing. We wait. The scientists are not allowing us the time needed. They are beginning their experiments now, on land that is not theirs to work, while we, honorably, await final decision before taking action. They force our involvement. They anger us by defying law."

"They've started?" Garrus asked, unbelievably. Feeling his temper flare and cursing himself for not taking the time to inspect the site in question before leaving. For simply taking the scientists' word as truth.

Sumott nodded again in the same manner as before. "Deeply troubled, the humans are not patient. They take where they will. Regardless of law. Demand that we leave when authority has not ruled either way. We will leave if required. But it must be decided properly."

Garrus ground his teeth, making his mandibles jump. He balled his talons into tight fists. "This will be reported. Immediately. I promise you. Whether they like it or not, they will halt all experiments in the disputed area until there is a decision agreed upon between the Consulates," he ground out.

"Mistrustful, will they listen to you? When they have gone against all prior and established contractual agreements."

There was a savage gleam in Garrus' eye, "I'll convince them. Don't worry."

After a moment, the Elcor twisted and with deliberate movements, herded the child behind him. When he moved around his father, he held something. The boy offered Garrus a plate of food. The greenish colored nutrient block, sliced thinly, that Shepard had nibbled on in the vehicle. The same that the child had just been eating.

He thanked the Elcor, and his son, and took it; despite not wanting to eat any of it, he understood it would be insulting to refuse. He picked up a square and brought it to his mouth. Before he took a bite, there came a knock on the door and the healer entered.

Sumott said, "Surprised and concerned, Anoria, more deaths to report? Or is there light at the tunnel's end."

"Troubled, yes, Sumott, and no. More deaths. Little improvement. I come also for this one," she indicated Garrus, "has a friend with symptoms." She pulled a small pouch from her belt and slowly handed it to him. "Doubtfully, this may help. Though my remedies have been losing potency. Illness taking more lives." Her eyes roved to the boy and she sighed. "Children, elderly succumbing quicker."

"And this sickness," Garrus began as he took the pouch, trying to hide his growing dread, "it only just started?"

"Grimly, yes. We have never experienced such a disease. Not in all the years we've been mining upon Tyr."

Garrus stared at the pouch in one hand, the plate of food in the other. His eyes jumped from the sickly child before him to the plate once more. His keen mind working. He thought of how Shepard had tried some; how sick she'd suddenly become. The food was supposedly safe for multiple species to consume. Or so Henricks had explained. And he had just assumed it was something to do with the cold Shepard had, that the atmosphere on Tyr had exacerbated it. He thought of the ease with which the scientists had lied about the dispute; of the surety the woman had that the Elcor would want to leave this particular mining spot.

His eyes raised, "This sickness only started since the land dispute. Since they started their experiments on land that they have taken without proper authority from either Consulate."

Sumott and Anoria exchanged painfully slow glances. The boy raised his hand to his mouth, to nibble some more from the green block.

Garrus lurched forward and knocked it away, "Don't eat that! Don't eat any more of this!"

"Alarmed and confused, what is wrong!?"

"They wanted to drive you out. The sooner the better. And what better way than to manufacture an illness that would decimate the most vulnerable of your population, forcing you to either flee or remain here and watch your numbers die off!"

"Alarmed, they are poisoning us?" Anoria asked. "Upset and dismayed, we could not find the source of the illness. No tests revealed answers. It was a mystery. We considered a new virus. Considered leaving here once word from Elcor Consulate arrived. They were meeting with Zerinx to decide if this site was no longer viable."

"And the terraformers were going to make sure it seemed that way," he ground out, seeing red, wanting nothing but to get back to the camp to blast a whole through Merritt's weak-chinned head. He glanced at Sumott and Anoria. "I can analyze the food and I'm sure I can come up with a treatment and possibly cure this. No one else has to die here."

# # #

Back on the Chennai, Shepard smiled grimly as Garrus took her gently into his arms, holding her; thinking about his comment; how it was never simple for them. Even the most straightforward and seemingly routine assignments always seemed to pack a little extra unexpected punch. This one was no different.

He'd wanted to dole out justice, but Shepard's condition kept him focused on what was more important. She was extremely ill by the time he'd gotten her back to the Chennai. But the medi-lab on board isolated the poisonous compound inside the food-stuff in less than five minutes. Apparently, human's had a stronger reaction to the poisons than the Elcor, who were gradually killed off by the slow-working poison through their system. If he'd been slower . . . if he hadn't figured it out in time . . . he shuddered and Shepard felt it. Her hand found its way to the side of his face and he pressed it into her palm.

It had taken a lot of convincing, but Shepard, in her weakened state, managed to keep Garrus from going back and taking out the people in charge of the terraforming colony. He'd still been struggling with the urge to make things right. But, as Shepard had reminded him, they played it by the books. They made their report and left it in the hands of people elected to handle such matters.

"The proper authorities will handle it from here, Garrus," she murmured as he led her to a chair and sunk into it together. Uncharacteristically, she snuggled closer, but he took advantage and held her tightly, still feeling the unease of coming so close to losing her. He closed his eyes, banishing the terrible thought. The void that accompanied it; the bubble of despair that rose with it.

He glanced across the room at the screen where he'd written up the long report detailing the illegal actions of the human on Tyr. The criminal activity of poisoning an innocent colony, charges of intentional, though constrained, genocide; the murder of innocent children. He wanted to kill everyone in charge at the terraforming colony. But restrained those dark emotions.

Shepard rested her head on his shoulder and he brought his mouth down to kiss the top of her head in small, lingering pecks. She brought him balance. She kept him well-within the moral and ethical boundaries that he held as honorable. Keeping him sane. Keeping him whole.

"I'm so ready for that vacation," Shepard murmured and he held her tighter.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm so happy to have been a part of the Mass Effect Holiday Cheer Gift Exchange!

I apologize for not updating my ongoing stories, I've been swamped in RL to say the least. But I promise I haven't forgotten any of them and will get to them soon. Thank you for your patience and I hope everyone has a lovely holiday season! xo


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